Microstructures and interface magnetic moments in MnVAl/Fe layered films showing exchange bias

Kubota, Takahide*; Shimada, Yusuke*; Tsuchiya, Tomoki*; Yoshikawa, Tomoki*; Ito, Keita*; Takeda, Yukiharu   ; Saito, Yuji  ; Konno, Toyohiko*; Kimura, Akio*; Takanashi, Koki*

Heusler alloys exhibit various magnetic properties. In this study, a layered sample consisting of a Heusler alloy, MnVAl and a ferromagnet, Fe, is selected as a material system exhibiting exchange bias. Although the fully ordered MnVAl is known as a ferrimagnet, the MnVAl/Fe layered structure exhibits exchange bias. The high-angle annular dark field STEM images demonstrated the formation of MnVAl clusters with the L2 phase distributed only around the interface to the Fe layer in the sample. Furthermore, the antiferromagnetic coupling between the Mn- and Fe-moments were observed in element specific hysteresis loops measured using XMCD. The locally ordered L2 phase and antiferromagnetic Mn-moments in the MnVAl layer are important for the exchange bias.